Maghrib (Sunset Prayer)
The fourth daily prayer, performed just after sunset.
Maghrib (Arabic: مغرب) is the fourth of the five daily obligatory prayers in Islam. The word "maghrib" means "west" or "sunset" in Arabic and refers to the time when the sun disappears below the western horizon.
The Maghrib prayer consists of three rak'ah and is unique in this number, as the other prayers have either two or four. It should be prayed immediately after sunset, and it is sunnah to pray it quickly after the adhan — there is not a long waiting period as with the other prayers.
Maghrib time is the most precise of all prayer times, as it is directly linked to an observable astronomical phenomenon: the sunset. It is calculated as the moment when the sun's upper edge disappears below the horizon. This varies dramatically — from around 3:30 PM in December to 10:00 PM in June at higher latitudes.
Maghrib also marks the time for iftar (the meal to break the fast) during Ramadan, when Muslims break their fast. It is tradition to break the fast with dates and water, as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did.
Related terms
Kaaba (Allah's Sacred House)
The holiest building in Islam, in Mecca, toward which all Muslims face in prayer.
Masjid (Mosque)
The Islamic house of worship, where Muslims gather for congregational prayer.
Sunnah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary prayers based on the Prophet's practice.
Ijma' (Consensus)
Agreement among Islamic scholars on a legal question, considered the third source of Islamic law.
Isnad (Chain of Narration)
The chain of narrators connecting a hadith back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Salat al-Wahsha (The Prayer of Loneliness)
A prayer performed on the first night after burial for the soul of the deceased.